. so to speak.He arose early as ever and went down to the kitchen to make coffee and prepare some breakfast, not yet dressed of course and looking tho...oughly disreputable as his wife often told him in ratty old slippers and a dressing gown that had definitely seen better days. He had better, certainly, but these simply felt right and he'd wear them until they finally fell to pieces."Good morning, dear. Did you sleep well?" came the dulcet tones of Millicent, his wife."As ever, dear. The. She's always smiling and laughing." His daughter would often throw herself on him as if she was swooning. "She's the best teacher, Daddy. I wonder why she has no kids of her own, she'd be a great momma. Ha, Daddy we should set her up with one of your friends, and then she could have a whole bunch of babies." He would cut off conversations like that with his child, she was often too much for him to handle. Each conversation he'd have with his daughter about Iris would end in her having babies of. ”“I’m certain,” Frederick answered. He was lying.The attack came with such speed and ferocity that all he could do was backpedal. He had barely moved a step when his legs were yanked from beneath him and he landed hard on his back in the dirt.The laughter and catcalls that arose from around him caused him to leap to his feet and take a wild swing where he’d last seen the girl. She was already behind him before his sword met only air. He felt a sharp jab above his kidney and spun, bringing the. God or the universe provided him for me, because I needed him. God or the universe knew things I didn’t and never would.God or the universe knew what was coming and didn’t bother to warn me... Thanks a lot.Charger and I had loitered through the winter and spring, waiting for something to happen. The laziness was welcomed after over twenty years of non-stop service at high levels of stress. Charger loved having all of my attention. I can honestly attest that we were never apart for more than a.